What is Command Line Interface (CLI)?

Command Line Interface is used to communicate with a computer program, you can input text into a by typing command lines. In this article, we will understand the workings of the command line interface, features of the command line interface, and more.

What is the Command Line Interface?

Command line interface (CLI), A software tool that lets you use the keyboard to interact with your operating system. Command-line interfaces first emerged on computer terminals in the middle of the 1960s as a more approachable and interactive option to the punch card-based, non-interactive interface. Any server or computer system can be configured and navigated, and its applications run using text commands through the use of a command line interface. A command-line interface is built into every operating system, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, to facilitate quicker system interaction.

How Does Command Line Interface Work?

• Commands are entered using a keyboard and the command-line interface (CLI).
• While the syntax of various CLIs varies, they all functionally carry out the same tasks.
• The computer evaluates the command after you run it and takes the appropriate action.
• Additionally, the CLI provides the user with feedback through command output and error alerts.
• Batch programs, sometimes known as batch files or shell scripts, are text files that contain a series of commands. A batch program executes its commands—which may comprise executable programs and system commands—when it is successfully invoked.

Features of Command Line Interface

Below are some features of the Command Line Interface

• Command history: This feature helps the user to remember earlier commands they have given. Certain programs, such as PowerShell, can be set up to save the history of commands for the duration of the session, while others, like bash, do not.
• Scripting capability: This lets users create program that can be executed from the command line on the system.
• System variables: The values of those variables can be shown or set at the command line.
• Command pipes: By piping the data flow, command pipes allow users to choose which program’s output should be used as the input for another.

Basic Linux Operating System Commands

Below are some Linux Operating System commands

• mv: Renames a file or directory or transfers files and directories between directories. A file or directory keeps its original file name when it is moved to a new directory.
• cd pathname: To switch directories in Linux, use the ‘cd’ command. By giving the location of the directory, you can navigate to it: cd /home/user/Documents.
• clear: In Linux, you can use the printf command to send the clear screen escape sequence, the clear command, or Ctrl + L to clear the terminal screen.
• ls: In Linux, the ‘ls’ command is a command-line utility for listing directory contents. It is a flexible tool that may be used with multiple flags to accomplish different tasks, giving users effective file and directory administration.
• exit: Go Out Without A Parameter The terminal will just close after you hit enter.
• mkdir: One command-line tool that allows users to create new directories is the Linux mkdir command.

Basic Microsoft Disk Operating System Commands

Below are some MS-DOS commands:

• CHKDSK : Verifies the designated disk in this example, the floppy disk in the A: drive and provides a status report indicating the disk’s size, the number of active files and directories, and the amount of bytes utilized.
• PROMPT: To set the prompt display to the current drive and path, the day and date, and the greater-than symbol, use parameters with the command.
• CD: Sets the current directory to the path that has been supplied. It shows the name of the current working directory when the path is provided empty.
• MKDIR: Makes a new directory in the path that is given.
• EDLIN: Initiates the text file editing program edlin, a line editor.
• DEL: Eliminates one or more files. able to remove files from another directory or the current working directory.

Advantages of Command Line Interface

Below are some benefits of Command Line Interface:

• Remote access: CLI applications typically require fewer network resources than GUI ones. This makes CLI applications appropriate for devices with modest hardware resources or remote server setups. You can control servers remotely by providing commands via a secure shell, even if your connection is slow.
• Troubleshooting: Using command line interfaces is an important skill for developers and system administrators since it promotes a more in-depth grasp of the underlying system. It can help you become more adept with numerous tools and utilities while also improving mistake management.
• Efficiency: The CLI lets you perform actions on several files with a single text command, saving you time from having to look for and click on each file individually. You can navigate and interact with your system fast if you are familiar with the commands. You can write scripts that carry out a variety of CLI commands to automate tedious or repetitive tasks.
• Repetitive operations: The CLI is great at automating repetitive operations, and you may use a batch file to automate jobs at any time.
• Power user: A CLI is suitable for power users since it allows them to execute commands that are not available in the GUI.

Disadvantages of Command Line Interface

Below are some risks of Command Line Interface

• Error management: Errors in command writing might cause files to be deleted or moved to the incorrect location. You run the risk of encountering issues if you unintentionally remove any files, especially if they hold crucial information.
• Learning curve: Acquiring command knowledge takes time. The majority of commands are lost if they are not used on a regular basis.
• Replicate orders: The majority of commands on the command line interface cannot be undone or reversed. As a result, using commands requires extreme caution. The majority of the time, a command’s execution is irreversible and continues.
• Difficult to remember: Recalling every command that is used in the CLI might be challenging. Over 100 CLI commands are available in UNIX.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Command Line Interface can be used to configure, navigate, and run any server or computer system’s applications via text commands. All operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, include a command-line interface to enable faster system interaction.

Frequently Asked Questions on Command Line Interface – FAQs

Why do we use command line interface?

An interface that is text-based and used to enter instructions that communicate with an operating system on a computer is called a command line interface (CLI). The default shell, which stands between the user and the operating system, assists the CLI in its operations.

Which interface is known as the command line interface?

A text-based user interface (called a command-line interface is utilized to interact with computers, run programs, and manage files.

Who would use a CLI?

A command line interface can be used by programmers, seasoned computer users, or administrators.

Is command-line interface a language?

No, The CLI is not a programming language, it is a tool.